Press

Sunset Boulevard.

Première at the Göteborg Opera Saturday October 16 at 6 pm.
Performance for the press on Tuesday October 12 at 2.30 pm.

Hollywood comes to the Göteborg Opera. In homage to the original movie from 1950, the Göteborg Opera stages Andrew Lloyd Webber's famous musical Sunset Boulevard, starringmusical star Gunilla Backman.

We're in the year of 1949. Norma Desmond is determined to make a comeback to the world of cinema. During the era of silent films she was a star, but in technicolour Hollywood there is no longer place for the divas of a bygone era. When young script writer Joe Gillis appears
outside Norma's door, it marks the beginning of a story that ends in tragedy.

Norma Desmond is sung by Gunilla Backman, who got her break-through in Sweden singing the principal role in Mamma Mia! The role as Joe Gillis is performed by the young and talented Jonas Eskilsson. Fred Johansson, who has previously performed the Beast in Beauty and the Beast at the Göteborg Opera and Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Malmö Opera, performs the role of Max the butler. Martyna Lisowska, who recently sang Anita in West Side Story at
NorrlandsOperan, sings the role of Betty, Joe's girlfriend.

It is the first time Sunset Boulevard is staged at the Göteborg Opera and the version performed has been recently translated by Erik Fägerborn. The musical, which originally premièred in London in 1993, is based on the movie of the same name produced by Billy Wilder in 1950. In the movie, Norma Desmond was portrayed by Gloria Swanson. On stage Norma has been portrayed by artists such as Patti LuPon and Glenn Close. Sunset Boulevard at the Göteborg Opera is a Vernon Mound production. It is directed by Anthoula Papadakis (who also choreographed) and Shaun Kerrison. Conductors alternate between David White, Julian Biggs and Finn Rosengren, depending on performance.

PRESS REVIEW of Sunset Boulevard on Tuesday October 12 at 2.30 pm. Review of
rehearsal on the Main Stage. Please advise the below of attendance and book any interviews on Monday October 11 at the latest.

PREMIÈRE of Sunset Boulevard Saturday October 16 at 6 pm. Press tickets to be
booked with the below Monday October 11 at the latest. The performance lasts for approximately three hours, including a break.